The physiologic role played by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in the induction of innate responses and inflammation in response to pathogen signaling is not well understood. Here, we describe a new mouse model lacking pDCs and establish that pDCs are essential for the in vivo induction of NK-cell activity in response to Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) triggering. Furthermore, we provide the fi...

BACKGROUND DNA vaccines are third generation vaccines which have made promises to combat infectious diseases. Cationic liposomes are used as effective delivery systems for DNA vaccines to generate stronger immunity. OBJECTIVE Encapsulation of pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid, encoding protective antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) into cationic liposomes, and evaluation of its effect on spec...

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are specialized immune cells that produce massive levels of type I interferon in response to pathogens. Unfortunately, pDC are fragile and extremely rare, rendering their functional study a tough challenge. However, because of their central role in numerous pathologies, there is a considerable need for an efficient and reproducible protocol for gene silencing ...

Gene therapy provides a novel method for cancer therapy. This study shows a DNA nanocomplex that is inspired from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) for ovarian cancer therapy. This DNA nanocomplex consists of a cationized monomethoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (d,l-lactide) (MPEG-PLA) nanoparticle and a plasmid encoding the matrix protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSVMP) that plays a criti...

Voltage-dependent K(+) (Kv) channels require lipid phosphates for functioning. The S4 helix, which carries the gating charges in the voltage-sensing domain (VSD), inserts into membranes while being stabilized by a protein-lipid interface in which lipid phosphates play an essential role. To examine the physical basis of the protein-lipid interface in the absence of lipid phosphates, we performed...

We investigated the cell association and intracellular pathway to the nucleus of complexes formed between DNA and cationic lipid DOTAP (lipoplexes) or cationic polymer polyethylenimine (polyplexes). Flow cytometry and confocal microscope analysis showed that lipoplexes presented higher affinity for cell membrane than polyplexes. Electron microscopy demonstrated that both types of complexes foll...

Interaction between the plasma membrane and aggregate lipid surface determines how efficiently the encapsulated drug will be delivered into the cell. Electrostatic interactions are one of the main forces affecting liposome and aggregate association with the charged cell surface. In this study, the effect of surface charge on the association of liposomes with human colon CX-1.1 cancer cells was ...

We have developed a highly specific gene transfer method for adenocarcinoma using a monoclonal antibody against tumor-specific antigen coupled with a plasmid containing the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific promoter. The chimeric CEA promoter (CC promoter), which contained an enhancer from the immediate early gene of cytomegalovirus and the CEA promoter, achieved 4- to 5-fold higher trans...

BACKGROUND Disulfide-linked oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN) liposomes were formulated and evaluated for the delivery of antisense ODN G3139 in KB human oral carcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS Liposomes composed of 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-3-trimethylammo-nium-propane (DOTAP)/egg phosphatidylcholine/alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate were incorporated with hydrophobized dis...